"The Voice" contestants were ready for combat as the battle rounds continued, with the sparring even more exciting thanks to the "steal."
The night offered up a few surprise winners as celebrity coaches Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green, Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton became more strategic with their rosters. They offered little help to their fellow mentors in deciding whom to keep and whom to lose, in case, you know, they wanted to swipe the loser for their own.
Surprise Package
Cee Lo was looking for the best singer/ dancer package when he paired country boy Cody Belew with city girl Domo. "Bam Bam" Belew had clear disadvantages during rehearsals against the dancer who exuded charisma. When the duo hit the stage, though, both held their own with Domo's beauty outshining Belew by a hair. In the end, it came down to personal preference and, in a surprise move, the usually smitten Cee Lo chose to keep Belew.
Smooth Undertaking
Young met "old" on as 15-year-old Nathalie Hernandez of Team Christina faced off against 24 year-old Aquile. It was a battle of the ages, indeed; Aquile's smooth, controlled R&B sound was proof of his experience, but Hernandez impressed the judges with her raw talent and tone that was reminiscent of Joss Stone. "When I was fifteen, I was a zit," Levine told the young singer, just before their coach Xtina chose Aquile to stay on.
"Lights" Shine Bright
Team Adam's Caitlin Michele and Melanie Martinez managed to pull off the most emotional performance of the night with an indie rendition of Ellie Goulding's "Lights." Guest mentor Mary J. Blige was taken aback by Martinez's "depth" during rehearsals. Somehow, the polarity between the powerful and theatrical Michele worked with Martinez's raw breathiness, and the performance left Levine "over the moon." It also meant a tough decision for the handsome coach who went with his gut and chose Martinez. But it wasn't over for Michele. Shelton and Green both pushed their buttons to steal her up, but her over-the-top persona felt more at home with the over-the-top Mr. Cee Lo Green.
Recap (winner vs. loser):
Team Cee Lo: Cody Belew vs. Domo
Team Christina: Aquile vs. Nathalie Hernandez
Team Adam: Melanie Martinez vs. Caitlin Michele
Team Blake: Rudy Parris vs. Charlie Rey
Who do you think should have won in the battles? Share your thoughts below!